Browsing by Subject "Germany"

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Automation, robots and wage inequality in Germany : a decomposition analysis
(2020) Schmid, Ramona; Brall, Franziska
We analyze how and through which channels wage inequality is affected by the rise in automation and robotization in the manufacturing sector in Germany from 1996 to 2017. Combining rich linked employer-employee data accounting for a variety of different individual, firm and industry characteristics with data on industrial robots and automation probabilities of occupations, we are able to disentangle different potential causes behind changes in wage inequality in Germany. We apply the recentered influence function (RIF) regression based Oaxaca-Blinder (OB) decomposition on several inequality indices and find evidence that besides personal characteristics like age and education the rise in automation and robotization contributes significantly to wage inequality in Germany. Structural shifts in the workforce composition towards occupations with lower or medium automation threat lead to higher wage inequality, which is observable over the whole considered time period. The effect of automation on the wage structure results in higher inequality in the 1990s and 2000s, while it has a significant decreasing inequality effect for the upper part of the wage distribution in the more recent time period.
Divergence in labour force growth : should wages and prices grow faster in Germany?
(2020) Marczak, Martyna; Hellier, Joël; Beißinger, Thomas
We develop a model which shows that wages, prices and real income should grow faster in countries with low increase in their labour force. If not, other countries experience growing unemployment and/or trade deficit. This result is applied to the case of Germany, which has displayed a significantly lower increase in its labour force than its trade partners, except in the moment of the reunification. By assuming that goods are differentiated according to their country of origin (Armington’s hypothesis), a low growth of the working population constrains the production of German goods, which entails an increase in their prices and in German wages. This mechanism is magnified by the low price elasticity of the demand for German goods.Hence,the German policy of wage moderation could severely constrain other countries’ policy options. The simulations of an extended model which encompasses offshoring to emerging countries and labour market imperfections suggest that (i) the impact of differences in labour force growth upon unemployment in Eurozone countries has been significant and (ii) the German demographic shock following unification could explain a large part of the 1995-2005 German economic turmoil.
Grundpreisaufschläge bei Groß- und Familienpackungen: eine empirische Untersuchung im deutschen und französischen Lebensmitteleinzelhandel
(2005) Benner, Eckhard; Heidecke, Sandra-Jasmin
Verbraucher und Verbraucherinnen gehen in der Regel davon aus, dass sie beim Kauf von Groß- bzw. Familienpackungen einen Mengenrabatt bezogen auf den Grundpreis (Preis pro Mengeneinheit) erhalten. Diese Regel trifft auch bei der Mehrzahl der am Markt angebotenen Waren zu. Allerdings zeigten Studien aus USA, Großbritannien, Kanada und Griechenland bereits, dass die Erwartung auf einen Preisnachlass nicht immer gerechtfertigt ist. Für den deutschen Markt fehlte bisher eine wissenschaftliche Untersuchung dieses Verbraucherthemas. Diese liegt nun mit der Hohenheimer Studie vor. Die Studie gibt zunächst einen Überblick über die Literatur zu Grundpreisaufschlägen (quantity surcharges). Sie stellt anschließend die empirische Untersuchung zur Existenz von Grundpreisaufschlägen im deutschlen und französischen Lebensmittelmarkt dar. Es werden auch die Rahmenbedingungen der Vermarktung betroffener Produkte (Zusatzbeschriftungen, Produktplatzierungen) besprochen. Die Studie zeigt, dass auf beiden Märkten so gut wie keine Produktkategorie von Grundpreisaufschlägen ausgenommen ist. Abschließend werden auf Grundlage der Ergebnisse und vor dem Hintergrund des Artikels 153 des Europäischen Vertrages Politikimplikationen diskutiert. Die Studie hinterfragt sowohl die derzeitig diskutierten Einsparungen bei der Lebensmittelüberwachung als auch die Kürzungen der öffentlichen Zuschüsse für Verbraucherorganisationen.
Intermedia agenda-setting from the far right? Three case studies on spillover effects by alternative media inGermany
(2023) Klawier, Tilman
Right-wing alternative media can increase their public impact if they succeed to set their issues on the mainstream media’s agenda. In three qualitative case studies, the present article explores whether and how such intermedia agenda-setting occurs in Germany. Special attention is given to spillover effects between different actors, both at the level of attention and tone towards the issues. Furthermore, the analysis of news articles is supplemented with Twitter data to account for the role of social media. Two of the case studies indicate that right-wing alternative media contributed to push pseudo-scandals into the mainstream. The analyses also reveal alternative news outlets with particular agenda-setting power and point to the crucial role of tabloid media as a bridge to the mainstream. The third study, however, which centered on the Global Compact for Migration, presents a case where intermedia agenda-setting failed. Against this background, the article discusses the conditions under which intermedia agenda-setting by right-wing alternative media is likely to occur and how journalists should deal with such attempts.
Job insecurity, employability, and health : an analysis for germany across generations
(2014) Otterbach, Steffen; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso
In this paper, we use 12 waves of the German Socio-Economic Panel to examine the relationship between job insecurity, employability and health-related well-being. Our results indicate that being unemployed has a strong negative effect on life satisfaction and health. They also, however, highlight the fact that this effect is most prominent among individuals over the age of 40. A second observation is that job insecurity is also associated with lower levels of life satisfaction and health, and this association is quite strong. This negative effect of job insecurity is, in many cases, exacerbated by poor employability.
Migration and wage inequality : a detailed analysis for German regions over time
(2022) Schmid, Ramona
This study presents new evidence on immigrant-native wage differentials estimated in consideration of regional differences regarding the presence of Non-German population in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas between 2000 and 2019 in Germany. Using linked employer-employee-data, unconditional quantile regression models are estimated in order to assess the degree of labor market integration of foreign workers. Applying an extended version of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method, the results provide evidence on driving factors behind wage gaps along the entire wage distribution. There are not only changes in the relative importance of explanatory factors over time, but also possible sources of wage differentials shift between different points of the wage distribution. Differentiating between various areas in Germany, on average, larger wage gaps are revealed in metropolitan areas with at the same time a higher presence of the foreign population. Regarding the size of overall estimated wage gaps, after 2012 a reversal in trend and particular increasing tendencies around median wages are identified.
Mind the gap: effects of the national minimum wage on the gender wage gap in Germany
(2022) Schmid, Ramona
With its introduction in 2015, the statutory minimum wage in Germany intends to benefit primarily low-wage workers. Thus, this paper aims at estimating the effectiveness of the implemented wage floor on gender wage gaps in the lower half of the wage distribution. Using administrative data, distinct regional differences regarding magnitudes of wage differentials and responses to the minimum wage are identified. Overall, wage gaps between men and women at the 10th percentile decrease by 2.46 and 6.34 percentage points respectively in the West and East of Germany after 2015. Applying counterfactual wage distributions, the study provides new evidence that around 60% and even 95% of the decline result from the introduction of the minimum wage in each region. Further, group-specific analyses identify concrete responses on the basis of age, educational level and occupational activity. Having yearly data, the study additionally reveals new results on the impact of the successive minimum wage raises in 2017 and 2019. Counterfactual aggregate decompositions of gender wage gaps finally indicate a decrease in discriminatory remuneration structures in the West of Germany due to the introduced wage floor.
Offshoring and labour market reforms : modelling the German experience
(2015) Hellier, Joël; Beißinger, Thomas; Chusseau, Nathalie
A usual interpretation of the high performance of the German economy since 2005 is that the Hartz labour market reforms have boosted German competitiveness, resulting in higher exports, higher production and lower unemployment. This explanation is at odds with the sequence of observed facts. We propose and model an alternative scenario in which offshoring explains the gains in competitiveness but increases unemployment and inequality, and the subsequent labour market reforms lower unemployment by lessening the reservation wage and expanding the non-tradable sector. The model replicates the developments of the German economy since 1995: 1) Germany offshores more intensively than other advanced countries; 2) The increase in competitiveness and in the exports/production ratio occurs before the implementation of the labour market reform, and this comes with both higher inequality and higher unemployment; 3) The implementation of the reform reduces unemployment, but also decreases the exports/production ratio and increases inequality. The model also predicts that the reduction in unemployment in Germany would have occurred without the Hartz reforms, but later and less intensively. We finally discuss the possible extension of this ‘strategy’ to other Eurozone countries, and alternative policies that activate similar mechanisms without increasing inequality.
Public knowledge of alternative media in times of algorithmically personalized news
(2021) Klawier, Tilman; Prochazka, Fabian; Schweiger, Wolfgang
Citizens are likely to encounter various types of alternative media online, especially on algorithmically personalized news channels (APNC) like social network sites or search engines. It is unclear, however, to what degree they are aware of these outlets and familiar with the concept of alternative media. This study investigates the relation between exposure to alternative media and knowledge of them, taking the role of APNC into account. Analyzing representative survey data of German Internet users, we find a gap: While many individuals report to use alternative media, few of them are able to name alternative media titles matching scholarly conceptions. Although the use of APNC increases self-reported exposure to alternative media, it does not improve actual knowledge of them. All in all, many Internet users have little awareness of alternative media and do not clearly distinguish between different types of sources they come across online.
Real wages and the business cycle in Germany
(2010) Beißinger, Thomas; Marczak, Martyna
This paper establishes stylized facts about the cyclicality of real consumer wages and real producer wages in Germany. As detrending methods we apply the deterministic trend model, the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition, the Hodrick-Prescott filter, the Baxter-King filter and the structural time series model. The detrended data are analyzed both in the time domain and in the frequency domain. The great advantage of an analysis in the frequency domain is that it allows to assess the relative importance of particular frequencies for the behavior of real wages. In the time domain we find that both real wages display a procyclical pattern and lag behind the business cycle. In the frequency domain the consumer real wage lags behind the business cycle and shows an anticyclical behavior for shorter time periods, whereas for longer time spans a procyclical behavior can be observed. However, for the producer real wage the results in the frequency domain remain inconclusive.
Serological protection rates against TBEV infection in blood donors from a highly endemic region in Southern Germany
(2023) Dobler, Gerhard; Euringer, Kathrin; Kaier, Klaus; Borde, Johannes P.
Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most significant tick-borne disease in Europe and Asia, with more than 10,000 cases per year worldwide. A surge of reported TBE cases can be observed despite the availability of highly efficient vaccines. There is little known about the serological immune protection rate of the population in Germany. The seroprotection rate is defined as the presence of neutralizing antibodies. In contrast, the vaccination rate, as defined by public health agencies, may differ from the true protection rate in a population. Materials and Methods: 2220 blood samples from inhabitants of the county Ortenaukreis in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg in Germany were included in the study. These were tested for anti-TBEV IgG antibodies by an anti-TBEV-IgG-ELISA. Subsequently, all TBEV-IgG positive samples were confirmed for neutralizing antibodies in the micro serum neutralization assay. Results: From the overall 2220 samples, 2104 were included in the comparison because of the selection of specific age groups (ages 20–69). In our sample size, we found an average serological protection rate (presence of neutralizing antibodies) of 57% (518/908) for the female blood donors and of 52% (632/1196) for the male blood donors. Discussion: In this study, we present new findings on a highly endemic region in southern Germany. Additionally, we present current data regarding the serological TBEV protection rates in the Ortenaukreis in southern Germany and compare these with a dataset published by the RKI, which is based on vaccination reports of the primary care providers and health care insurers, and with a self-reporting study conducted by a vaccine manufacturer. Our results significantly exceed the official numbers of average active vaccination status by 23.2% for females and by 21% for males. This might indicate an even longer persistence of TBE-vaccination-induced antibody titers than previously assumed.
The geography of stock exchanges in Imperial Germany
(2014) Lehmann-Hasemeyer, Sibylle; Burhop, Carsten
23 Stock Exchanges were in operation in Germany in 1913. We provide new data about the number of listed firms, their market value, and the number of IPOs between 1897 and 1913 for all exchanges. We assess reasons why a firm opts to be listed at a certain exchange. Large firms tend to be listed and tend to go public at the Berlin Stock Exchange, while the regional stock exchanges were important hosts for small and medium-sized firms. Borders and distance affect listing decisions, suggesting that a patriotic home bias and asymmetric information between issuer and investors affected listing decisions.
The long shadow of history : roman legacy and economic development - evidence from the German limes
(2015) Wahl, Fabian
This paper contributes to the understanding of the long-run consequences of Roman rule on economic development. In ancient times, the area of contemporary Germany was divided into a Roman and non-Roman part. The study uses this division to test whether the formerly Roman part of Germany show a higher nightlight luminosity than the non-Roman part. This is done by using the Limes wall as geographical discontinuity in a regression discontinuity design framework. The results indicate that economic development—as measured by luminosity—is indeed significantly and robustly larger in the formerly Roman parts of Germany. The study identifies the persistence of the Roman road network until the present as an important factor causing this development advantage of the formerly Roman part of Germany both by fostering city growth and by allowing for a denser road network.
The rise of Eastern Europe and German labor market reform : dissecting their effects on employment
(2021) Walter, Timo
From the early 1990s until 2005 the unemployment rate rose in Germany from 7.3% to 11.7%. While the unemployment rate reached its peak in 2005, it decreased steadily in the following years. On the one hand, the fourth stage of the German labor market reform (Hartz IV) was implemented in 2005 with the intent to cut the unemployment rate. On the other hand, the productivities in Germany and Eastern Europe grew strongly during the same period, enhancing the joint trade. The “rise of the East”, in terms of rising trade, is likely to have had an ambiguous effect on the German labor market. This paper investigates the employment effects of the “Hartz IV-Reform”. Further, it concentrates on the labor market effects of the German and Eastern European productivity shock. The focus lies on the national and county level (including 402 counties). As the effects on regional labor markets differ and take time, the paper builds on the dynamic and spatial trade model of Caliendo et al. (2019). I find that the “Hartz IV-Reform” and the German productivity contributes positively to the decline of unemployment, whereas the increase in Eastern European productivity is only responsible for a minor increase in unemployment.
Untersuchungen zur Belastung von Getreidestroh mit Fusarium-Toxinen und Ochratoxin A in Deutschland mit Verfügbarkeitsstudien
(2011) Sondermann, Sarah; Drochner, Winfried
In a two year enduring nationwide screening experiment, the occurence of 13 trichothecene toxins, as well as zearalenone (ZEA) and ochratoxin A (OA) in crop straw was examined, in order to enable a better assessment of the risk of exposure for farm animals through the intake of the straw. The straw samples were taken according to the ?Futtermittelprobenahme - und Analysenverordnung? and the attached questionnaires were filled out in cooperation with the farmers. Through correlation of the toxin contents with the information of the questionnaire, hints for the influence of measures of cultivation and crop farming on the toxin content of the straw were sought. Additionally, through correlation of the toxin contents with weather data, hints for the influence of the weather on the toxin content of the straw were sought. In plus, information on the occurence of masked toxins in straw should be obtained. With the help of the extensive, nationwide taking of samples, implemented by official samplers, these samples illustrate a representative average for Germany throughout the two years of investigation. A screening of straw samples of different sorts of crop from 2007 and 2008 were examined on a spectrum of 14 Fusarium toxins as well as OA, a macroscopic result for the samples was raised. A statistic evaluation of the data was made. Throughout the two years of investigation, 80 samples of wheat straw, 79 of barley straw, 11 of oat straw, 12 of rye straw, 12 of triticale straw , 1 of spelt straw and 6 of an unknown sort of straw were examined. The macroscopic results for the screening samples revealed a mostly positive figure concerning the food value, on the other hand the figure concerning the average hygienic status showed in 2007 and 2008 an evidence for slight or even distinct hygienic deficiencies. The pollution of the straw samples with a spectrum of Fusarium toxins was verified. Because the average assertained number of cooccuring toxins in the samples was 3, the possibility of a multi toxin exposure of the straw must be considered. DON was concerning the frequency of occurance and the content the dominating toxin. It occured in 83 % of the samples verifiable with an average content of 1234 µg/kg, a median content of 439 µg/kg and a range of variation of 23253 µg/kg. The trichothecenes HT-2, T-2, T-2,4, SCIRP, NIV, 15-ADON and 3-ADON were verifiable in 55, 37, 9, 9, 32, 21 and 9 % of the 201 analysed samples. FUS-X, MAS, DAS, T-2,3 and OA were detected in less than 5 % of the samples, NEO in none of them. ZEA was provable in 46 % of the 201 samples, with contents between 7 and 767 µg/kg. OA was detected in only one of the 201 straw samples, consequently there is no pollution by this storage toxin expected. A different occurence of trichothecene was observed in the 2 years of investigation. In the first year the contents of NIV, 15-ADON and ZEA were higher than in the second year. HT-2 and T-2 were significant or rather tendential existent in a higher number in the year 2008. Altogether, the pollution of the straw was higher in the year 2007, recognizable through the sensorial evaluation as well as trough the analysis of the Fusarium toxins. Wheat- and barley straw exhibited a pollution by different spectra of trichothecene, whereby the results of the two years of investigation coincided well. All in all, significant different contents of the toxins DON, 15-ADON and ZEA with higher contents in the wheat straw and the type-A trichothecenes HT- and T-2 in the barley straw could be detected. These differences in the spectrum of toxins could arose from a population of different species of Fusarium. . The high amounts of samples of wheat- and barley straw allowed a detached evaluation concerning the influences of cultivation and crop farming on the two sorts of straw on the one hand and on the other hand a geographic distribution of the toxins within Germany. The assay of the samples of straw concerning masked toxins were made with the help of chemical and enzymatic hydrolysises and an in vitro - model, which simulates the conditions in the gastro-intestinal tract of a pig. The statistic evaluation of the single experiments delivered no significant differences between the varieties with treatment compared to the varieties without treatment. So a release of possibly existing masked toxins was not verifiable with the applied methods.
Work hours constraints and health
(2011) Sousa-Poza, Alfonso; Otterbach, Steffen; Bell, David
The issue of whether employees who work more hours than they want to suffer adverse health consequences is important not only at the individual level but also for governmental formation of work time policy. Our study investigates this question by analyzing the impact of the discrepancy between actual and desired work hours on self-perceived health outcomes in Germany and the United Kingdom. Based on nationally representative longitudinal data, our results show that work-hour mismatches (i.e., differences between actual and desired hours) have negative effects on workers´ health. In particular, we show that ?overemployment? ? working more hours than desired - has negative effects on different measures of self-perceived health.